Pocket golf



Nov. 17, 1925 1,561,881 I c. 1'. OSTERBERG .POCKET GOLF F11 March '7, 1921 cam. THEODOR ds znasne.

inventor Patented Nov. 17, 1925. own so CARL THEODOR 'OSTERBERG,

PATENT ()FFICE.

or MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN! POCKET GOLF.

Application file'd March '7, 1921'. Serial No. 450,430.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CARL THEODOR Os'rnn- BERG, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Milwaukee, county of Milwaukee, and State of WVisconsi'n, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pocket Golf; and I do declare the follow- Theinvention comprises a miniature golf course of eighteen holes, which notwithw standing the compactness of the device, are so arranged that the courses do not cross at any point,-the game in' this particular following the regular 1 game.

The invention resides in a small closure,

which 1 may be readily carried in the pocket of thepla'yer; The course is laid out' on a rectangular plate,- whichforms' the bottom of the closure, which latter is surrounded by confiningwall's, so as to ret'ain'the golf ball:

atal'l timesupOnthe' course! I A transparent cover may-he applied to the top of the clo sure, which cover will further serve to retain' the golf ball upon the course, and

through which the player may-observe the V effect of the strokes 'madeby him:

The details of construction andthe manner of playingthe game willbeherei'nafter pointed out.

Inthe accompanying drawing, Figure 1 1s a perspective 'VleW of 'm'y'in'i-i proved golf game, partly broken out soas to show the formation of the bottomof the 010- sure upon which the course is laid;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the same showing the arrangement whereby the next shot may be made'after the ball hasbeen holed.

In the drawing the device as a whole is i n Such device is formed as a sultable bOX' closure, the walls dicated by the letter A.

B of" whichare built about a rectangular bottom' plate 0, and'which may becovered, if desired, by a transparency D.

The eighteen holes comprising the course may he laid out on the base orbottom plate C in any desired manner, but I have found itconvenient to follow the arrangement shown, in which the lines of travel do not cross at any point. The eighteen holes constituting the course are formed as perforations in the base plate C. In playing the game I employ a quarter-inch steel ball, and the several holes in the plate will have a diameter which is slightly less than that of 1 the said ball, so that while the ball may rest therein and extend partially therethrough,

the constricted openings will -serve at-all' times to retain the ballwithin theclosure.

The idea involved in my improved game" is to make the course with the smallest'possible number of strokes. The -bottom*plate* upon whichthe course is laid outis level,

and the ball when on'the'field isto 'be rolled toward the particular hole which it; is de sire'd' to reach. The facility with which this may be done by changing-the level-of the course will depend upon the skillof the player. bottom plate,- outside'of the course, is provided with a border of perforations E constituting pockets, in one of which the ball may lodge'after a wild stroke; The holes' constituting the course 'are. successively numbered from 1 to18; I

Starting from a given point, the device-is manipulated so I as to change the level of thecou'rse and roll theball' into hole "1. Should the ball reach hole 1, even afterwandering around over the course, without being seated in any other numberedhole or p0cket"E', hole 1 will be considered as having been made in one stroke. B ut should the ball in itsquest of holetl, find The surrounding margin of the lodg-ment in any-other numbered hole or pocket E, this will'count one'stroke', and: from its place of lodgment the ball must be again started upon its way: toward hole 1.-

Every lodgment-of the ball in other than the hole desired counts as'a stroke, and note should be taken of the number of-such' strokes made While trying to properly hole:

the ball.

After haVin-gbeen holed, either correctly or incorrectly, the ball may 'be dislodged from the particular numbered hole or pocket E in which it is lodged, by a tap'of the finger upon that portion of the-ball" which projects at the bottom ofthe closure. This ejection of" the ball from its position of rest? will again place it upon'the field, and its movement toward the next hole in thecourse will be commenced. The rule mentioned in connection with the directions as toreach ing hole 1 will be followed in the subsequent movements of the ball toward the dif ferentnumbered holes of the course in succession, as will be understood by those playing the game.

I have found it convenient to form the bottom and side walls of the box closure from sheet metal of a gauge sufficient to lend rigidity to the structure and preserve the level of the field. However, I do not limit my invention to the use of the mate rial stated, but may use any other suitable material instead. The transparency D may be of glass or other material, and while such transparency is not essential to the successful use of my invention, it is desirable as a means for retaining the ball upon the field and preventing its loss. For the use of more highly skilled players, I may place bunkers or other forms of obstruction in the course, so as to divert the ball from a direct movement and render the attainment of the goal more difficult.

The numbered holes constituting the course and the pockets E formed in the bottom plate C will permit the ball to project an appreciable distance therethrough. The purpose of this arrangement is to enable the player to strike the ball from underneath at an angle which will drive the ball toward the desired hole. This provision greatly enhances the value of the game in the hands of a skillful player. I have produced a novel game which is easy to play and which affords much entertainment to individuals either singly or in competition. My invention differs from others of this general class in that the goal to be sought is a particular hole, the attainment of which enables one to exercise skill, and is not dependent upon mere chance, as in games where the seating of the ball in any one of a plurality of recesses counts something in favor of the player.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A pocket golf game constituted as a box closure and comprising a ball and an enclosed field on which is laid out a golf course embracing a plurality of consecutively numbered holes, the said holes constituted as perforations in the bottom of the box to permit a portion of the ball to project therethrough to enable the ball to be dislodged from a hole by a stroke by the finger of the player from the underside.

2. A pocket golf game constituted as a box closure and comprising a ball and an enclosed field in which there are a plurality of consecutively numbered holes constituting a golf course, the line between any two of such holes being free from intersection by a like line between any other holes, the said holes being formed as perforations in the bottom of the box to permit a portion of the ball to project at the underside of the enclosed field, so as to enable a stroke to be made by the finger of the player striking the projecting portion of the ball.

3. A pocket golf game constituted as a box closure and comprising a ball and an enclosed field at the bottom of the box and having therein a succession of numbered holes defining a golf course and a row of perforations surrounding the field into which stray shots are received, the said holes and perforations being of less diam eter than that of the ball so that the latter may partially project therethrough and be driven by a stroke by the finger of the player from the underside.

a. A game board constituted as a box closure and comprising a ball and an enclosed field in which a plurality of holes are arranged in progressive order, the said holes being formed as perforations through the bottom of the box to permit the ball to partially project therethrough and be driven from one hole to the next by a stroke by the finger of the player upon the projecting portion of the ball.

5. A game board constituted as a box closure and comprising an enclosed field at the bottom of the box and in which a plurality of holes are arranged in progressive order to form a course, the said field being surrounded by pockets for the reception of stray shots, in combination with a ball adapted to project partially through said holes and pockets so as to be dislodged therefrom by a stroke by the finger of the plzltyer upon the projecting portion of the ba 1.

6. A. game board constituted as a box closure and comprising an enclosed field at the bottom of the box and provided with a plurality of holes therein, in combination with a ball adapted to partially project at the underside when seated in a hole and to be driven from one hole to another by a stroke by the finger of the player applied to the projecting portion of the ball.

7. A pocket golf game constituted as a box closure having a bottom, side walls and a transparent cover, the bottom being provided with a plurality of perforations serving to outline the golf course, and a ball enclosed in the box and adapted to partially project through the said perforations, whereby the ball may be struck by the finger of the player and directed over the golf course.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name at Milwaukee this 4th day of March, 1921.

o. THEO! osrnnnnnd. 

